Euro 2016 Group B
GROUP B
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England
England go into Euro 2016 after romping through qualification with a 100% record, conceding just three goals and scoring 31. After the disappointment of World Cup 2014, hopes are higher that this young and motivated squad might just get to the last four. There are problems, though. Central defence looks fragile and Roy Hodgson appears determined to accommodate leading scorer Wayne Rooney to the detriment of the balance of the team.
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England Kit 1 |
England Kit 2 |
England v Russia 11 June; Marseilles
England v Wales 16 June; Lens
England v Slovakia 20 June; Saint-Etienne
Coach
Roy Hodgson
Record
1964, 1972, 1976, 1984, 2008 Did Not Qualify, 1980, 1988, 1992, 2000 First Round, 2004, 2012 Quarter Final, 1968, 1996 Semi Final
Men to watch
Harry Kane carries England's main goal threat and is coming off an excellent season for Tottenham. Teammate Delli Alli is good on the ball and will be hoping to play centrally rather than stuck on the wing. Newcomer Marcus Rashford is the wild card in the pack and the Manchester United youngster might get playing time if England progress in to the latter stages of the tournament.
Should top a tricky group but debateable whether they can progress beyond the quarterfinals - again.
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How they qualified
Prefect record in Group E - played ten, won ten.
On the sidelines
England are based at the luxury Auberge du Jeu de Paume in Chantilly. Of all the teams in world football that have taken part in three or more penalty shootouts, England have the worst record.
Analysis
England will line up in a 4-3-3 formation or switch to a midfield diamond 4-4-2 which saw them come back to beat Germany in a recent friendly.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), Fraser Forster (Southampton), Tom Heaton (Burnley).
Defenders: Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), John Stones (Everton), Kyle Walker (Tottenham), Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Danny Rose (Tottenham), Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool).
Midfielders: Dele Alli (Tottenham), Ross Barkley (Everton), Eric Dier (Tottenham), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), James Milner (Liverpool), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal).
Strikers: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Jamie Vardy (Leicester), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United).
Russia
Russia appear a mixed bag under new coach Leonid Slutsky, who took over from Fabio Capello midway through the qualifying campaign. The national team is based on a mix of CSKA and Zenit players with an aging defence in the shape of the Berezutski brothers and Sergei Ignashevich but the attack looks more exiting in the shape of Zenit striker Artem Dzyuba, top scorer in qualifying for Russia.
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Russia Kit 1 |
Russia Kit 2 |
Russia v England 11 June; Marseille
Russia v Slovakia 15 June; Lille
Russia v Wales 20 June; Toulouse
Coach
Leonid Slutsky
Record
Did not qualify 1976, 1980, 1984, 2000; Group stage 1992, 1996, 2004, 2012; Semi-finals 1968, 2008; Runners-up 1964, 1972, 1988; Champions 1960
Men to watch
Artem Dzyuba is a prolific scorer at club level. Sergei Ignashevich is Russia's most-capped player.
We predict Russia will be second in Group B - just.
How they qualified
Second in Qualifying Group G behind Austria by 8 points.
On the sidelines
Back up Brazilian-born keeper Guilherme is the first player born outside the former Soviet Union to represent Russia.
Analysis
Russia stick to a tried and trusted 4-2-3-1 with not much of a plan B.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow), Yuri Lodygin (Zenit St Petersburg), Guilherme (Lokomotiv Moscow).
Defenders: Aleksei Berezutski (CSKA Moscow), Vasili Berezutski (CSKA Moscow), Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow), Dmitri Kombarov (Spartak Moscow), Roman Neustadter (Schalke), Georgi Schennikov (CSKA Moscow), Roman Shishkin (Lokomotiv Moscow), Igor Smolnikov (Zenit St Petersburg).
Midfielders: Igor Denisov (Dynamo Moscow), Dmitri Torbinski (Krasnodar), Aleksandr Golovin (CSKA Moscow), Denis Glushakov (Spartak Moscow), Oleg Ivanov (Terek Grozny), Pavel Mamaev (Krasnodar), Aleksandr Samedov (Lokomotiv Moscow), Oleg Shatov (Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Shirokov (CSKA Moscow).
Strikers: Artem Dzyuba (Zenit St Petersburg), Aleksandr Kokorin (Zenit St Petersburg), Fedor Smolov (Krasnodar).
Wales
Wales have reached their first big tournament since the 1958 World Cup in Sweden and their fans are determined to enjoy the experience. Real Madrid's Gareth Bale talks about his team "winning" the tournament though rather more realistically getting out of the group would be a huge achievement.
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Wales Kit 1
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Wales Kit 2
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Wales v Slovakia 11 June; Bordeaux
Wales v England 16 June; Lens
Wales v Russia; 20 June; Toulouse
Coach
Record
First appearance at the Euros.
Men to watch
Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey are Wales' best two players going forward. Bale's game has progressed since his move to Real Madrid and he will be relishing his chance to play at a major tournament.
We predict Wales to squeeze out of the group.
How they qualified
Wales came second in Group B two points behind Belgium with only four goals conceded in 10 games, scoring 11.
On the sidelines
Former Stockport County keeper Owain Fon-Williams is both a guitarist and talented painter in his spare time.
Analysis
Wales play 5-2-2-1 or 3-4-2-1 with Chris Gunter and Neil Taylor as wing backs and Bale running from deep.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey (Crystal Palace), Daniel Ward (Liverpool), Owain Fon Williams (Inverness CT).
Defenders: Ashley Williams (Swansea), James Chester (West Brom), Ben Davies (Tottenham), James Collins (West Ham), Chris Gunter (Reading), Neil Taylor (Swansea), Ashley "Jazz" Richards (Fulham).
Midfielders: Joe Ledley (Crystal Palace), Joe Allen (Liverpool), David Vaughan (Nottingham Forest), Jonathan Williams (Crystal Palace), David Edwards (Wolves), George Williams (Fulham), Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal), Andy King (Leicester).
Strikers: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), David Cotterill (Birmingham), Hal Robson-Kanu (Reading), Simon Church (MK Dons), Sam Vokes (Burnley).
Read more on Wales at Euro 2016
Slovakia
Slovakia are making their first appearance at the Euros. Coach Jan Kozak has got the best out of Serie A-based stars Marek Hamsik and Juraj Kucka. At the back Liverpool's Martin Skrtel will be well-known to fans of the Premier League.
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Slovakia Kit 1
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Slovakia Kit 2
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Slovakia v Wales 11 June; Bordeaux
Slovakia v Russia 15 June; Lille
Slovakia v England 20 June; Saint-Etienne
Coach
Jan Kozak
Record
First appearance at the Euros.
Men to watch
Napoli's Marek Hamsik is the stand out player for Slovakia and has had an excellent season in Italy. Peter Pekarik has also had an excellent campaign with Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga.
Slovakia and Wales will compete for third spot.
How they qualified
Second in Group C behind Spain.
On the sidelines
Slovakia will make their base at the luxury Vichy Spa Hotel Les Celestins.
Analysis
Slovakia play 4-2-3-1 with Hamsik behind the main striker - Adam Nemec. The full backs rarely push on with Kucka and Pecovsky the work horses in midfield.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Matus Kozacik (Viktoria Plzen), Jan Mucha (Slovan Bratislava), Jan Novota (Rapid Vienna).
Defenders: Peter Pekarik (Hertha Berlin), Milan Skriniar (Sampdoria), Martin Skrtel (Liverpool), Norbert Gyomber (Roma), Jan Durica (Lokomotiv Moscow), Kornel Salata (Slovan Bratislava), Tomas Hubocan (Dinamo Moscow), Dusan Svento (Cologne).
Midfielders: Marek Hamsik (Napoli), Juraj Kucka (AC Milan), Miroslav Stoch (Bursaspor), Vladimir Weiss (Al-Gharafa), Robert Mak (Paok Thessaloniki), Patrik Hrosovsky (Viktoria Plzen), Jan Gregus (Jablonec), Viktor Pecovsky (Zilina), Stanislav Sestak (Ferencvaros), Ondrej Duda (Legia Warsaw).
Strikers: Michal Duris (Viktoria Plzen), Adam Nemec (Willem II).
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